Working with Birth Parents

Total Number of Hours: 3

Specific parts of the foster care program work that this training address:

• The importance of visits and other contacts with birth family
• Being non-judgmental in working with birth parents and collaborating with members of the team
• Similarities and differences between the child’s birth and resource families (cultural, religious, socio-economic, etc.)
• Respecting children’s relationships with birth families

Session Description:

Ask a group of resource families what they think about working with birth families and you will hear a range of answers—gratifying, scary, challenging, helpful, and best for children are just a few.  Foster care today knows more than ever before about the importance of supporting children’s relationships with family, but it can be a tremendous challenge because emotions are high, loyalties are divided, and there is much at stake for everyone involved.  In this session, we will discuss what the benefits are (for us, birth parents, children, and the agency) of working with birth families, how to know what kind of contact is appropriate and safe, some “rules of the road” to avoid common conflicts, and what to expect from birth parents when we try to connect with them.